With real estate prices ever on the rise, Shanghai government has recently begun to provide public housing for the city’s low income citizens. But some participants in the public housing program are using this as a business opportunity, illegally subleasing government-funded apartments.

Image: Extreme Tech

​The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Construction and Urban-Rural Development plans to apply new, comprehensive user access methods to all public housing by 2020 in the city.

Image: Xinhuanet

The methods, which include facial scanning to get in the front door, began piloting at Renwen Apartments in Pudong. In heavy rain or dim lighting, residents also have the option to scan their fingerprints for entry.

Since the introduction of facial and fingerprint scanning, Renwen Apartments has seen no subletting or other rental fraud.